MADRID, Spain– Co-favorite Spain is history dispatched by 2013 Eurobasket gold medalist France in the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup for Basketball here last Wednesday.
France’s night of glory did not last very long, though.
Two nights later, Serbia defeated France, 90-85, in the semis to set up a meeting against Team USA tonight in the gold medal game before an expected sellout crowd at the Palais los Deportes, just north of Retiro Park. The winner receives an automatic bid to the 2016 Olympic summer games in Rio.
This is the first time Serbia, which started its own federation in 2007 when it became an independent nation, will face the United States in a major senior international competition. But the Serbians, whose players represented Yugoslavia when it participated in the World Championships from 1950 through 1990 and won three gold medals in 1970, 1978 and 1990, have a history of international success. After Yugoslavia broke up, a team comprised of Serbia and Montenegro, won gold medals in 1992 and again in 2002 when they defeated the United States, 81-78, in the quarterfinals in Indianapolis.
The Serbian junior teams have been a constant source of pride for their federation. In the 2007 U19 tournament, Serbia, playing at home, avenged a preliminary-round loss and defeated the U.S., 74-69, for gold. Two Serbian players from that team, Raduljica and Stefan Markovic start for the senior team now. And guard Steph Curry was on that U.S. junior team.
“That’s a bad feeling,” Curry remembered. “It was tough winning silver in that game, so hopefully we can be on the other side of it this time around.”
Team USA, which has defeated its first eight opponents by an average scored of 32.1 points, is young, but should enter this game as heavy favorites. But Serbia is not about to wave a white flag.
“We’re not going to be scared for sure,” said Nenad Krstic, a former NBA center who was drafteed by the Nets and played for both Oklahoma city and the Celtics before returning to Europe.
“Now our confidence is high and OK, we have a chance, maybe some players never get this chance to play against U.S., great U.S. team in the final of the World Cup. It’s an unbelievable chance to do something great in our lives.”
“Every player when he was a kid was dreaming to play in a world championship final, and especially against States,” point guard Milos Teodosic said.
The has been an unlikely run for the Serbians, who barely made the 24-team tournament as the seventh-place finisher in last year’s European qualifier, and then were just 2-3 in the powerful Group A, grabbing the fourth and final spot in the knockout round. But Serbia is here on merit, playing at a high level when they routed previously unbeaten Group B champion Greece 90-72 in the round of 16, and then hammered Brazil– a team that beat them in pool play– 84-56 in the quarters.
“I think something clicked,” Krstic said. “We talk a lot in the locker room, and our coach gave us confidence, he always talked to us, he believed in us and something clicked. I don’t have an explanation.”
The Serbians only have one current NBA player on their roster– 7-0 Miroslav Radulijca, who played last yer with the Milwakee Bucks last season, but they are well coached, talented and Teodosic (of CSKA Moscow) and 6-6 shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Teodosic showed what he can do in a Friday night win over France, scoring 24 points in all and helping the Serbians lead by as many as 18 points early on. The 22-year-old Bogdanovic (Fenerbahce in Turkey) is giving the Phoenix Suns an early preview of what he will eventually do for them, as he was the 27th pick in last year’s draft but won’t play the NBA until he can get out of his current contract in 2016.
“They’re probably the hottest team, and they’re playing at a high level,” USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Serbia. “They have stars on their team, and Teodosic, I loved him when I saw him in the World Championships in ’10, Bogdanovic is a rising star. Their big guys (including former NBA big man Nenad Krstic) are good, they’re well coached, and they’re strong. They can hurt you from many different positions.
“They’re just playing great basketball right now. Actually, it’s beautiful to see. I hope I don’t see that beauty tomorrow night.”
The Serbs have four players– Teodosic (14 ppg. 4.1 apg)., Bogdanovic (11.6 ppg, 15-for 36 from the three), Ruduljica (13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg)and 6-10 Nemanja Bjelica (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg), who all average in double figures, execute well in the half court and have shown they can score, averaging 81.4 points. Bjelica was drafted by the Washington Wizards in 2010 but has yet to appear in an NBA game.
If Serbia has any advantage it will come from the fact many of their players have been together for years. This U.S. team was put together in a matter of weeks and has developed a surprisingly stong chemistry even though it had to deal with the withdrawals of stars like Kevin Durant, Kevin Love and Paul George since the start of camp.
Team USA will not be at full strength for this game. Backup forward Rudy Gay suffered a bruised jaw, a chipped tooth and might need a root canal when he returns home. Gay caught a vicious elbow to the top of the mouth from center Darjus Larrinovich during the third quarter of team USA’s semi-final win over Lithuania
“I have a fracture in my jaw and I’m going to need a root canal,’ he told USA Today. “the top where I got hit is panful. It’s constantly bleeding and I have to gargle all the time.”
Gay called it a “dirty play” and voiced his displeasure during the handshake line afterwards and sparked a shouting match between the two teams. Mike Krzyzewski had to defuse the situation by waving his arms and acting like a peace maker.
This U.S. team, which should have an advantage up against the Serbians with center Anthony Davis and forward Kenneth Faried, should be properly motivated for the final.
“We’re playing for something bigger than ourselves right now,” Faried said after practice Saturday. “We’re playing for our country. putting on that USA jersey means more than anything. It’s like you’re playing for the Army, Navy, the Marines … guys who fight for you every day.”
“If we play unselfish and we play hard and we play every possession, I don’t think any team can beat us,” 6-6 guard Klay Thompson added. “It’s just because we’re so deep, and we’re so athletic that it’s tough for teams to keep up for 40 minutes. Teams can hang in for 25, for 30 minutes, but if we wear on teams I think we’re almost unbeatable.”
